Top 14. Toulouse, Stade Français, Ramos, Sinzelle… The Tops and Flops of the first leg
By Clement Mazella
Published on
After a Boxing Day which saw some surprises, such as Success from Bordeaux to La Rochelle or even spanking lost by Stade Français to Racing 92, the first leg of the Top 14 is over. Time to shoot first balance sheet significant.
Rugby News reveals its Tops and The flops of the first half of the championship. This concerns both clubs and players.
Tops
Certainly, Toulousedo not do it The Stadium series came out on December 22, lost 3 times in the first leg. But the Reds and Blacks have clearly been the most consistent, meaning some major hits like wins at Bordeaux and Montpellier.
Still perfectible, with in particular a faulty touch, Toulouse knew how to win and perfectly manage the period without the internationals in autumn. The Pink City club presents the best defense, and the second attack. Solid. The balance sheet? 7 points ahead of his runner-up at mid-season. Enough to have 2 jokers during the doubloons of the next 6 Nations Tournament.
- Stade Français fully behind Quesada
We admit it: as soon as we learned at the end of September/beginning of October that Gonzalo Quesada would be ejected during the summer of 2023, we saw a disaster season coming for the French Stadium, which also had a rather good start to the 2022-2023 financial year. Except that this team seems to be pushing hard behind its manager and driven by a desire to end the adventure well.
The Parisians displayed a big character. How not to think about this incredible return in Pau, at 14? And this humiliation suffered at Racing 92 during the derby? At mid-season, Paris, which is the team to have won the most bonuses (7), surprises. And this team may not stop there…
If you read classification this December 26, you are not dreaming: the promoted Bayonne is virtually qualified for the final phase of the Top 14. That, not many people expected at the beginning of September when the Basque club took 40 in Toulon to start the season.
But there you go, carried by his fiery public of Jean-Dauger, Aviron Bayonnais made it a point to remain undefeated at home. UBB, Racing 92, Toulouse, Lyon and La Rochelle all fell there, just that. An essential solidity to ensure the maintenance. But with 13 points ahead of the 13eDidn’t Bayonne give itself the right to dream of more?
We could cite Camille Lopez, Yoan Tanga or even Madosh Tambwe among the best recruits, but THE player of this first leg is Thomas Ramos. With the arrivals of Capuozzo and Jaminet, a hell of a traffic jam was announced at Stade Toulousain for the full-back position. Romain Ntamack’s early injury stopped the problem.
Because Thomas Ramos has slipped masterfully to the position of No. 10 at Stade Toulousain. Very playful, good in animation, Thomas Ramos masterfully directed the game of Haut-Garonne. And facing the poles, he was surgically precise. 4e best director of the championshipthe international poster an average of more than 15 points / game.
Flops
The success in the derby against Clermont (20-16) may have revived Brive. But the red lantern lived 4 months of hell, including chaining 9 defeats in a row. The CAB was the first to dismiss its manager (Jeremy Davidson), the infirmary appears to be regularly full and the supporters did not hesitate to share their their anger, especially towards the management of the club. In short, Brive is last and it must react.
Finalist last year of the championship, Castres a less been to his advantage at the start of the season. Undefeated at home (just like Toulouse and Bayonne), the CO can’t do it away from home, having recovered only 2 meager points. And as the Top 14 is tight, this situation is synonymous with 12e place for the Tarnais. Nothing dramatic either: they are only 5 points from 6e square. Be careful, however, if the invincibility at Pierre-Fabre fell…
Ambitious after narrowly missing the final phase of the Top 14 last year, Toulon clarified. But it is clear that his recruitment does not live up to expectations. First, the Swiss army knife Jérémy Sinzelle : he is only the shadow of the super player he was in La Rochelle.
The opener West Ihaia, who had no competition for the position, really did not convince. So much so that the RCT went looking in November Welshman Dan Biggar. Not helped by physical glitches (barely 6 games played), Waisea is very far from his regular exploits at the Stade Français. The RCT expected much better from these three…
Cameron Woki ended 2022 with a disastrous derby derby against Stade Français. The French international, performing with the Blues, struggles to integrate into the game of Race 92.
Alternating in 2e ou 3e line, Woki does not manage to find its level of Bordeaux-Bègles. And the player was aware of this when he broached the subject at the beginning of November 2022. “It was my decision to change clubs. It’s up to me to be better and to adapt, it will come, I’m going to ask you to be patient”, had he let go. Half of the Top 14 has already passed…
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